Cut hours from expense processing with automated Pleo-NetSuite integration. Learn setup essentials and key benefits for finance teams.
Integrating Pleo with NetSuite can significantly reduce the burden of manual expense management. Traditional expense reporting can eat up around 20 minutes for each report. When that’s multiplied by dozens or even hundreds each month, your finance team could be losing hours better spent on strategy and analysis.
Fortunately, Pleo’s Built for NetSuite SuiteApp offers a powerful solution. It automates and accelerates the flow of expense data between systems, making what used to be a recurring bottleneck a streamlined 15-minute sync. For companies already running on NetSuite ERP, enabling this automation delivers immediate ROI through faster reconciliation, reduced errors, and elevated visibility.
Why This Integration Matters
Modern finance teams can’t afford to waste time on repetitive data entry or delay insights into company spending. Manual processes not only take longer - they also cost more. Each manually processed expense report may cost anywhere from £16.50 to as much as £40 when you factor in staff time, approval routing, and potential corrections.
Take a company with 50 employees and 100 expense reports per month. At current rates, that adds up to between £1,650 and £4,000 lost to administration every month.
The joint power of Pleo and NetSuite eliminates this inefficiency by:
Automating expense entry: Transactions recorded in Pleo instantly generate journal entries or vendor bills within NetSuite.
Delivering real-time financial visibility: No more waiting until month-end to see spending data.
Facilitating receipt compliance: Pleo includes built-in features to capture receipts via photo or email, reducing the risk of missing backups.
Supporting complex business structures: Multi-entity operations are fully supported, with subsidiaries and departments synced to NetSuite’s accounting dimensions.
For firms already relying on NetSuite’s automation tools, implementing Pleo augments these capabilities and closes gaps in your expense workflow.
Key Business Advantages of Pleo-NetSuite Integration
This integration provides measurable benefits in three important areas:
Eliminates approximately 20 minutes of effort per expense report
Drastically reduces month-end reconciliation time
Enables near real-time data syncs every 15 minutes - no batch delays
NetSuite checks the integrity of all incoming data (e.g., tax codes, general ledger info) before importing
Duplicate expense entries are caught automatically using Pleo IDs
Posting to closed accounting periods is prevented through lock detection
Spend limits are enforced at the card level
Default tax codes can be tied to categories for accurate VAT handling
Approvals move through centralized workflows instead of scattered emails and spreadsheets
When deployed properly, the integration aligns finance policies with automated enforcement, reducing both operational risk and manual workload.
Prepare Your NetSuite Setup Before You Begin
Before installing Pleo’s SuiteApp, it’s essential to configure foundational NetSuite elements and accounts. Many integration failures stem from skipped preparation steps - getting your system ready upfront avoids these pitfalls.
NetSuite Account Setup Essentials for Pleo Integration
Before you begin mapping data between Pleo and NetSuite, you’ll need to establish several accounts in your NetSuite Chart of Accounts. These specific accounts allow for accurate expense tracking and reconciliation during ongoing operations.
Create the following three accounts:
Type: Bank Account
Purpose: Used to record card transaction settlement entries from Pleo.
Type: Other Current Liability
Purpose: Records reimbursement amounts owed to employees for out-of-pocket expenses.
Type: Other Current Liability
Purpose: Tracks amounts that must be reimbursed externally, outside of employee reimbursements.
Important: If your Chart of Accounts hasn’t been fully structured or if your NetSuite dimensions are still being finalized, complete that process first. Pleo’s tag groups rely directly on NetSuite classifications, so the integration depends on a solid foundational configuration.
Assigning Proper NetSuite Permissions for a Successful Integration
Ensuring the right level of access is crucial before installing the Pleo Suite App. The integration process demands either Administrator credentials or a custom role that mirrors specific access controls.
Here’s what’s required:
Vendors - View permission
Documents & Files - View permission
Subsidiaries - View permission
Accounts - View permission
Script Deployment - Edit permission
Customization - Edit permission (used for script-related configurations)
Security Tip: If your enterprise enforces tight access controls, Versich recommends setting up a designated "Pleo Integration Admin" role. This minimizes overexposure while ensuring the process has the necessary permissions to function effectively.
Choosing the Right Pleo-to-NetSuite Integration Strategy
There are two primary approaches to integrating Pleo data with NetSuite: using the native SuiteApp (API-based) or opting for manual CSV imports. Each method comes with its own capabilities and trade-offs.
Built-In SuiteApp (API Integration)
Pleo offers a certified "Built for NetSuite" SuiteApp. This plug-and-play integration removes the need for manually importing data files or building custom API infrastructure.
Key benefits include:
Real-time validation of data before it's imported
Automated retry and error handling within the SuiteApp logic
No external tools or middleware required
When Supplementary Tools May Be Necessary
Although the native SuiteApp covers most use cases, certain advanced requirements may call for additional customization or third-party platforms:
If you're using custom NetSuite fields that aren't part of standard classifications
When consolidating multiple expense sources, such as other travel platforms or reimbursement systems
If your approval workflows are more complex than Pleo’s built-in route handling
For legacy data migration, especially when porting historical transactions into NetSuite
In general, organizations benefit most from starting with the SuiteApp before considering extensions.
How to Map Pleo Data Into NetSuite: A Guided Walkthrough
Step 1: Install the Pleo SuiteApp
Go to the SuiteApp Marketplace within NetSuite.
Search for “Pleo” and click Install.
The installation typically takes between 10 and 15 minutes. You’ll receive an email notification once it’s complete.
To confirm a successful installation: Use NetSuite’s global search bar and type “Pleo Dashboard.” If the page appears in the results, the SuiteApp has been deployed successfully.
Step 2: Connect NetSuite to Pleo
In your Pleo account, navigate to Settings → Accounting.
Search for NetSuite and click Continue, followed by Connect.
A NetSuite login prompt will appear - authenticate using your NetSuite admin credentials.
Choose the relevant Pleo entity or subsidiary to integrate.
Approve the connection request by clicking Authorize.
The pop-up will close automatically after a successful link has been established.
Step 3: Configure Script Deployments (Critical Step)
Proper script deployment settings are essential for synchronization to operate correctly. Misconfiguration in this step is one of the most common causes for data sync failure.
Here’s how to set everything up:
In NetSuite, go to Script Deployments.
Filter for Type = Scheduled.
Locate two key scripts:
“Pleo - Scheduled checks”
“Pleo - Receipt checks”
Edit both and enter the following details exactly:
Priority: High
Start Time: 12:00 AM
Repeat Frequency: Every 15 minutes
Status: Released
Click Save after configuring each script.
Troubleshooting Tip: If you don’t see the script names after 15 minutes, refresh your browser. If they still don’t appear, the installation may not have been successful - revisit the SuiteApp Marketplace and reinstall.
Configuring the Chart of Accounts and Tax Settings in NetSuite
Account Mapping in Pleo Dashboard
Once integrated, log in to your NetSuite account and access the Pleo Dashboard. Under the Account Mapping section, match your accounts as shown below:
Default Currency Contra Account → Pleo Bank Account
Out-of-Pocket Account → Pleo Out-of-Pocket Account
External Reimbursement Account → Pleo External Reimbursement Account
Mapping Tax Codes
To configure tax code sync, locate your existing tax codes within NetSuite.
Identify each tax code’s Internal ID (e.g., VAT 20% = ID 5, VAT 5% = ID 8).
These IDs are necessary when aligning Pleo transactions with corresponding tax rates in NetSuite’s financial records.
Create a test expense in Pleo - such as a small purchase with an attached receipt and a clearly defined category. Ensure the transaction uses mapped tax codes, tag groups (like class and department), and appropriate vendor tagging if enabled.
Once your test expense is submitted, proceed to export it manually:
1. In Pleo, go to *Exports* → *Unexported Expenses*
2. Select your test transaction
3. Click *Export to NetSuite*
After exporting, navigate to NetSuite to verify the data sync. Confirm:
Expense appears under the correct transaction type (Journal Entry or Vendor Bill)
All tags (class, location, department) are properly applied
VAT is calculated and reflected accurately
Vendor is assigned (if vendor tagging is active)
Troubleshooting Common Sync Errors If the expense fails to export or shows incomplete data, review the following potential issues:
Tax Codes Error: Check that all tax codes used in the expense are accurately mapped and active in both systems. Incomplete VAT configuration is a common cause of failed syncs.
Missing Vendor: If vendor tagging is turned on but a vendor is not selected or synced, NetSuite will reject the entry.
Dimension Mapping Issues: If class, department, or location tags are not correctly imported from NetSuite into Pleo, transactions may be rejected. Revalidate tag group settings under *Accounting → Tags* in Pleo.
Export Template Mismatch: Ensure the export method in Pleo (Journal Entry vs. Vendor Bill) aligns with the business process. Confusion between export types can result in incorrect NetSuite entries or rejections.
If syncing errors persist, Versich recommends checking the integration audit trail within NetSuite to determine the specific error log, or revisiting advanced configurations in the Pleo connector settings.
By successfully exporting your test data and verifying it in NetSuite, you lay the groundwork for a stable, organization-wide rollout. In the next section, we’ll cover how to deploy the integration at scale and monitor ongoing data flows.
Submitting Expenses via Pleo and Verifying in NetSuite
Here’s how users can submit expenses in Pleo and ensure everything syncs correctly with NetSuite:
1. Upload the receipt image using the Pleo mobile app (e.g., for a £10 office supply purchase).
2. Assign the appropriate category and tax code that has been mapped to NetSuite.
3. Add relevant tags such as department, class, or location as required by your finance team.
4. Mark the expense as ready for export and click Export.
Once exported, switch to NetSuite:
1. Go to the Pleo Dashboard.
2. Click Check Now.
3. Allow a few minutes for the sync to complete.
4. Confirm the expense is listed with correct amounts, categorized properly, and includes the relevant tags.
Troubleshooting Common Pleo-NetSuite Sync Issues
If something goes wrong during the sync process, here are the most common issues organizations run into - along with their recommended resolutions, based on Pleo’s support resources:
Expense stuck in the export queue
“No account provided” error
Tax code validation fails
“Invalid field value for location” message
“Locked period” error during export
Keeping Your Pleo-NetSuite Integration Running Smoothly
Maintaining integration health over time is key to minimizing disruptions. Here are Versich’s recommended maintenance practices to avoid drift in configuration and syncing failures:
Monthly Check-ins (15-Minute Review):
Use the Pleo Dashboard to review Recent Activity. Focus on any sync errors from the last 30 days.
In NetSuite, verify that all Script Deployments related to Pleo are still showing status as *Released*.
Confirm your chart of accounts synchronization shows a current timestamp.
Quarterly Maintenance:
Re-audit category mappings to confirm alignment with ongoing changes in your NetSuite chart of accounts.
Review approval workflows and update them based on any structural or personnel changes in your organization.
Validate that tax codes in Pleo reflect your current VAT compliance requirements.
Educating Staff for Long-Term Success
A well-integrated system only delivers value if it’s used properly. Without employee training, your finance team will remain stuck processing exceptions manually.
To drive adoption and consistent usage, Versich recommends the following best practices:
Conduct a live, 30-minute onboarding session demonstrating the mobile receipt capture process, expense categorization, and approval flow.
Provide access to a self-paced learning portal, such as the Pleo Help Center.
During the first month, monitor usage and offer 1-on-1 coaching to employees who aren’t following procedures.
Recognize users who consistently attach receipts for all transactions to reinforce good behavior.
If you’re adopting NetSuite for the first time, consider integrating this Pleo training into your broader change management initiatives. Early alignment ensures smoother adoption across all financial systems.
Why Versich Is the Right Partner for NetSuite-Pleo Integrations
Pleo’s SuiteApp handles the tech handoff, but building an optimized NetSuite environment requires deep domain expertise. That’s where Versich comes in.
As a certified Oracle NetSuite Partner, our team helps you avoid late-stage bottlenecks and reduce implementation risk. We've turned what could be months of trial and error into a streamlined process.
How Versich Delivers Superior Results:
Script Deployment Strategy
Multi-Entity Expertise
Reliable Support When It Counts
Looking to go beyond expense management? We also integrate NetSuite with your eCommerce platforms, automate AP processes, and deliver insightful dashboards for custom reporting.
Ready to simplify your integration? Book a 30-Minute Fix session with Versich to review your current NetSuite setup and outline a smart, scalable integration plan.
